Friendships bloom

The aftermath of Jason's words leaves the Bat Family upset, especially Dick. I wouldn't tell them what he said to upset me, but Dick knows it would take something bad. Jason has been MIA for 2 days since, avoiding the manor. He has to be sneaking in at some point because the game pieces are still moving. My anger has lifted but I still hold hurt to the fact of Jason viewing my child as evil. Over the years I have embraced my demon side, making friends with it, not shutting it out. I've gained peace knowing I use it for good and not evil. My child will learn the same as I have.

Waking up I am still nauseated but the morning sickness has lessened. 12 weeks now and my stomach is still small enough to conceal but round enough for someone to notice if I'm wearing the right clothes. I sigh looking at the alarm clock. It's only 4:30 in the morning. Dick lays next to me passed out. I'm sure he has only been in bed for an hour or two tops. My bladder forces me up and out of bed. Tiptoeing into the bathroom I relieve myself. I stand in the mirror looking at myself. The baggy grey tshirt of Dicks sits over my bump hiding it. For now it still covers my black underwear for the most part. I slip on a pair of black sweatpants over them.

Hoping I don't run into anyone I decide a morning snack would help my boredom. I sneak out of the bathroom and out the bedroom door without Dick even changing his breathing. I smile as I close the door knowing he's still out. Padding out of the hall I make my way to the kitchen.

Flipping on the light I feel an odd presence. Nobody is in the kitchen but I feel off. I slowly back up, ready to retreat to Dick when a gloved hand covers my mouth. My body reacts before I can even think. Quickly I open my mouth biting the hand, while my arms reach for the mans arm. I kick my right foot back into the groin, sending him bending down. Gripping his arm I flip around slamming them into the wall. With a groan I look to my attacker.

"What the fuck!" I huff.

"Hey Rach" he smiles softly.

"Why would you grab me?" I demand still not letting go.

"I didn't mean to scare you, I just wanted to avoid you screaming and alerting everyone else" he sighs.

"Jason." I huff letting go of him.

"I'm sorry Rach. I just was coming to apologize." He sighs

"Since when we're we on Nickname names?" I turn to walk to the fridge.

"Do you want to be called Rachel?" He slips his glove off looking at the bite.

"I suppose Rach is fine" I sigh looking into the fridge.

"Damn you sure know how to fight." He smiles walking to the sink. I grab an apple out of the fridge and take a bite. I walk to him washing his hand with the bleeding wound.

"Sorry I didn't know it was you or I wouldn't have bit so hard." I take my hand over his. He looks to me as I begin healing his hand. My powers absorb into his skin, sealing the tore flesh.

"Thank you." He says softly flexing his hand, "that's a neat party trick."

"Yeah for a demon, I know" I walk over to the pantry looking at the options.

"I'm sorry. I really am. Sometimes my mouth gets the best of me and I don't think." He generally sounds sorry.

I move my head around the cabinet, "so do all of you and your brothers do the same shit? Cause I've heard an apology just like that from Dick."

"Hey, mine was better." I jump at Dick standing in the door way.

Jason grows tense looking at the ground. "Hey Dick." He pushes his hair back.

"Yeah hey Jason." He scoffs, "so you said something about her being a demon?"

"Not her." He admits.

"My child?" Dicks pissed immediately.

"He apologized and I'm not mad anymore" I sigh. "Just let it go Dick."

"This isn't something to let go. Until you fully fucking understand what her powers can do and how she uses them for good, never fucking talk about her again." Dick walks to Jason.

"I won't. I'm sorry Dick." He stands to him. "It was a mistake and I shouldn't have said it."

"Apologize to her, not me." He stands stern.

"Damnit." My stomach turns and I walk to the trash can ready to puke. I squeeze my eyes shut feeling the nausea wave over me. I hold the trashcan with shakey hands.

"Woah mama, you good?" Jason pulls the loose hair out of my face, pulling it back into a ponytail.

"I got her." Dick sighs taking my hair out of Jason's grip, rubbing my back.

"I'm fine, I don't think I'm going to puke. It just came in a wave." I stand up slowly.

"I'll fix breakfast, I'm sure real food will help you." Jason opens up the pantry pulling out supplies.

"You think your homemade pancakes will make it all better?" Dick scoffs as he rubs my back softly.

"Worth a try." He shrugs.

"Honestly doesn't sound too bad." I touch my stomach sighing out.

"Okay." Dick smiles. "Coffee?"

"You know my weakness." I smile as he kisses my forehead. I sit at the island as Jason begins throwing supplies into a large stainless steal mixing bowl. Dick brings me a cup of coffee, crafted with some creamer, syrup and sugar. I smile taking the blue mug from his hands.

"You okay here Rae?" He smiles. "I've only gotten 2 hours of sleep and if I lay back down I can get almost another one."

"I'm fine." I smile. "Go sleep. Your eyes aren't as bright with the lack of sleep." I lean up kissing his cheek.

"Come snuggle after you eat." He squeezes my shoulder as he walks out of the kitchen.

"So where did you learn how to cook?" I look to Jason

"Alfred." He shrugs.

"It seems as though that man has his specialty with all of you." I sip my coffee.

"He's a good man." He agrees.

"I hope your pancakes are better than your apologies." I look at him.

"They are. I could apologize better with the worlds best pancakes." He smiles crookedly

"We will see about worlds best" I laugh.

"I promise you won't wanna throw these up." He wisks the bowl.

"So why the white streak?" I look to his hair admiring the white patch throughout the side.

"Bruce thinks it's from the trauma." He stops for a moment looking at the bowl.

"From dying?" I add.

"Being brought back."

"What was it like?" I sit my coffee down staring at him. He looks at me with those green eyes, sighing and continuing to wisk.

"Uh. I don't think I've ever had anyone ask me that." He looks away nervous.

"I can sense your pain on the situation" I look at the coffee. "I would say unimaginable."

"Yeah. It was something." He sighs. Putting a skillet on the stove he warms it up with some olive oil spray. "I don't think I would ever chose being brought back again over death. I would die 100 times over being brought back."

I sense his wall thinning and I pry. I usually don't, but something tells me to. I probe in, trying to feel his memory. The event. I regret it immediately. The taste in my mouth is pure death and the liquid shoved into my chest is forcing it out. My body feels heavy but the fluid electrocuted my veins and I feel on fire, I can't breath but I choke out. Snapping out of the event I dive into the trash can puking and gasping trying to breath. My body trembles and I tremble.

"Rachel?" Jason rushes around the counter to me. I jerk up shoving him back against the counter in a panic. I pant looking at him with his arms up.

"I'm sorry." I pant. "That was stupid." I close my eyes breathing.

"What was stupid?" He asks. I open my eyes looking at his face. Confusion is heavy with worry.

"I'm sorry Jason. I made you vulnerable and I dug into your emotions." I admit.

"I don't understand" he grabs a towel, handing it to me.

"I felt how it was.. when you…." I trail off taking the towel and wiping my mouth.

"When I came back?" He raises a brow.

"That taste of death with the drowning sensation of warm thick goo." I shake my head with eyes wide. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to think of dipping into a lazarith pit."

"You felt that?" He looks excited but sad at the same time.

"Yes, I'm an empath." I sigh. "I'm sorry. It was an invasion of privacy and I should have asked."

"It's nice having someone know the feeling." He shrugged

"Yeah it's horrific and I just had to stop it before I got too far." I sit back at my seat. Feeling light headed from the use of powers and vomiting.

"Thank you." He said softly.

"For what?" I ask.

"For trying to understand" he pours the mixture into the pan.

"It was more for me than you." I take a sip of the coffee.

"So is that the bond thing you and Dick have?" He asks holding his spatchula.

"No." I sigh. "I went fully into Ducks mind in a meditative state. I saw everything from his life and felt everything he has felt. In return I opened him up to my own." I stare into the cup.

"Oh." He flips the pancake.

"So I knew about Bruce before he told me. I've seen the Bat Cave through his eyes" I smile, "I knew all his dirty secrets."

"But then he knew yours?" He smiles.

"I didn't really have any at the time." I smiled. "Only the ones I shared with him."

"Gross" he tosses a pancake on a dish.

"I'm assuming that when you tried to keep me quiet, my panic woke him up. Our emotions are shared with each other. However we learned how to put walls up to each other."

"So can you feel everyone's emotions in the house?" He raises a brow flipping the second pancake.

"No." I giggle, "this is the most quiet emotional home ever. I can never sense anyones here."

"Yeah I don't think you're going to get too much out of the man whose hidden himself under a cowl for almost 20 years." He smiles.

"True." Jason pours maple syrup into a cup and puts it into the microwave.

"The secret includes warm syrup." He flips another pancake.

"Doesn't sound too bad" I smile.

"The white doesn't look too bad though. At least it's not your whole head." I sip my coffee. "It's kinda edgy."

"Here." He smiles handing me a plate stacked with 2 pancakes and the syrup poured on top. He leans back on the counter with a plate quickly digging in.

"Well I guess if you're eating them they're not poisoned" I cut off a piece and take a bite.

"Well?" He smirks.

"They're good" I nod. I take a second bite. I smile knowing they're pretty damn good pancakes.

"Better than good" he scarfs down his pancake. He begins to clean up as I try not to rush eating my entire plate. "Couldn't have been too bad you ate them all." He smiles grabbing my plate as he wipes the island down.

"They're pretty good I'll give you that Jason." I sigh drinking the last of my coffee. I look to the clock reading 5:45am

"Look, I really am sorry about what I said." He sighs

"I forgive you Jason." I stand up. "Just don't forget, this is Your niece or nephew." I point to my belly. He looks quizzically.

"Shit, never thought of it that way." He smiles softly, "I better get the title of cool uncle"

"Maybe." I smirk. "I'm going to snuggle Dick. Thank you for breakfast."

"Anytime." He turns to the sink of dishes rolling up his sleeves to start them.

My yawn catches me off guard as I walk back to our room. I creek the door open to hear snoring from the bed. I tiptoe in taking off my sweatpants, I climb into bed. Dick awakens with a smile pulling me into his warm embrace. I lay my head on his chest and immediately drift off to sleep.